Sales Development Representative
Ascend Performance Materials, San Francisco, CA, United States
_*]:min-w-0 gap-3 !gap-3.5">What We Do
Insurance is a $10T industry still running on PDFs, email threads, and manual reconciliation. Ascend is changing that.
We built the first finance automation platform designed specifically for insurance - combining AI and embedded fintech to modernize how money moves across the entire policy lifecycle, from collections to disbursements. In five years, we've become the market leader: trusted by thousands of insurance businesses nationwide, processing billions in transactions annually, and growing 200%+ year over year.
How We Do It
Ascend automates the financial operations that insurers, MGAs, and agencies run every day - and embeds directly into the transactions where money actually moves.
AI is driving the cost of software toward zero. The companies that win won't just sell tools - they'll capture value at the point of the transaction itself. Ascend is built for exactly that moment. Our customers don't just adopt software; they unlock measurable efficiency with a proven 5-7x return on investment.
Our 70+ person team, based in San Francisco and Columbus, brings together deep expertise in insurance, fintech, and AI to build infrastructure the industry has never had.
Why We Do It
The insurance industry intermediates trillions of dollars - and almost none of that infrastructure was built for the modern era. Legacy systems aren't just inefficient; they're a ceiling on what the industry can become.
Ascend's mission is to become the leading financial automation platform for insurance by 2030 - powering the financial operations of the entire industry and transforming the way trillions of dollars move. We're not building another point solution. We're building the financial backbone of insurance.
Your Role
As a Sales Development Representative, you'll be a driving force behind Ascend's growth and at the forefront of our go-to-market efforts. You'll play a key role in helping us expand our footprint across the Mid-Market and SMB segments, further solidifying our leadership in the space.
We're looking for someone with a proven history of effective cold calling, a strong drive for constant improvement, and a creative approach to outreach. You'll be part of a growing team, helping us build a consistent and high-quality outbound motion.
Please note, this role is in-person at our San Francisco office.
Responsibilities Will Include
Objective #1: In your first 30 days, you will onboard and get up to speed on Ascend, our processes, and our market (and begin generating pipeline):
Objective #2: In your first 60 days, you will establish the key habits and processes needed to drive predictable and repeatable results:
Objective #3: In your first 90 days, you will have in-depth conversations with prospective customers and perform alongside the other members of our SDR team:
All roles at Ascend are 5 days a week onsite at our beautiful office in SoMa!
Benefits
We are committed to equal opportunity employment and embrace diversity within our organization. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
We encourage candidates to apply even if their experience doesn't precisely match this opportunity. We value diversity and are dedicated to equal opportunity employment.
Insurance is a $10T industry still running on PDFs, email threads, and manual reconciliation. Ascend is changing that.
We built the first finance automation platform designed specifically for insurance - combining AI and embedded fintech to modernize how money moves across the entire policy lifecycle, from collections to disbursements. In five years, we've become the market leader: trusted by thousands of insurance businesses nationwide, processing billions in transactions annually, and growing 200%+ year over year.
How We Do It
Ascend automates the financial operations that insurers, MGAs, and agencies run every day - and embeds directly into the transactions where money actually moves.
AI is driving the cost of software toward zero. The companies that win won't just sell tools - they'll capture value at the point of the transaction itself. Ascend is built for exactly that moment. Our customers don't just adopt software; they unlock measurable efficiency with a proven 5-7x return on investment.
Our 70+ person team, based in San Francisco and Columbus, brings together deep expertise in insurance, fintech, and AI to build infrastructure the industry has never had.
Why We Do It
The insurance industry intermediates trillions of dollars - and almost none of that infrastructure was built for the modern era. Legacy systems aren't just inefficient; they're a ceiling on what the industry can become.
Ascend's mission is to become the leading financial automation platform for insurance by 2030 - powering the financial operations of the entire industry and transforming the way trillions of dollars move. We're not building another point solution. We're building the financial backbone of insurance.
Your Role
As a Sales Development Representative, you'll be a driving force behind Ascend's growth and at the forefront of our go-to-market efforts. You'll play a key role in helping us expand our footprint across the Mid-Market and SMB segments, further solidifying our leadership in the space.
We're looking for someone with a proven history of effective cold calling, a strong drive for constant improvement, and a creative approach to outreach. You'll be part of a growing team, helping us build a consistent and high-quality outbound motion.
Please note, this role is in-person at our San Francisco office.
Responsibilities Will Include
Objective #1: In your first 30 days, you will onboard and get up to speed on Ascend, our processes, and our market (and begin generating pipeline):
- Develop a deep understanding of the problems our customers face, how Ascend solves them, and how to communicate that value to prospective customers
- Learn and ask questions about how we operate as an SDR team, as a GTM function, and as a business more broadly
- Jump into prospecting, cold calling, cold emailing, and booking demos with guidance and coaching from other team members
Objective #2: In your first 60 days, you will establish the key habits and processes needed to drive predictable and repeatable results:
- Work with your manager on a strategic initiative that you will own, build, and implement across the team (for example: defining new outreach strategies or figuring out ways to implement AI into the team's workflows)
- Identify and establish a repeatable process to meet weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals, and build structure around your workflows to ensure consistency
- Experiment with different outreach strategies, messaging, cadences, and channels, and attend industry events
Objective #3: In your first 90 days, you will have in-depth conversations with prospective customers and perform alongside the other members of our SDR team:
- Collaborate with marketing and the broader GTM function to identify new opportunities and push the team forward
- Leverage data and reporting to find areas for improvement and optimization, both individually and across the sales development function
- Give feedback to, and receive feedback from, other team members to ensure consistent learnings, and mentor new SDRs as they join
- Some proven experience: SDR experience in SaaS is preferred (but open to ambitious people who break that mold and are eager to grow in their sales career)
- Strong communication skills: comfortable speaking on the phone, clear in writing, and able to adapt messaging to the moment
- A learner's mindset: self-motivated, resourceful, and excited to learn new strategies, messaging, and tools
- A creative thinker: eager to experiment with new outreach ideas and constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency and impact
- Flexible and agile: excited by the pace of a startup environment and able to adapt quickly to shifting priorities
- The ultimate team player: you thrive in collaboration and are energized by team wins above all else
- Experience with Salesforce, Outreach, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, or Clay
- Exposure to startup environments and comfort with navigating ambiguity
All roles at Ascend are 5 days a week onsite at our beautiful office in SoMa!
Benefits
- 100% health premiums covered for you and your dependents
- 401k with employer matching options
- A fast growing team with an emphasis on promoting from within 80% of all hires in the last 12 months have already been promoted!
- Unlimited PTO
- Company paid commuter benefits
- Parental and family leave
- Lunch everyday
- Dog-friendly office!
We are committed to equal opportunity employment and embrace diversity within our organization. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
We encourage candidates to apply even if their experience doesn't precisely match this opportunity. We value diversity and are dedicated to equal opportunity employment.